SATURDAY December 23, 2023

The Human Thread of Divinity

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
Luke 2:4-5

Joseph had left Galilee with Mary to travel to Judea, to the city of David, Bethlehem. The Scripture reveals that Joseph had an interesting background; he was from the lineage of David.

The first chapter of the book of Matthew shows us the human thread of Christ’s divinity (Matthew 1:1-17). Jesus’ genealogy threads its way back through human history, beginning with Abraham, through to King David, and all the way to Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ (Matthew 1:16).

Interestingly, Christ’s human thread weaves through the lives of five different women which speaks of God’s grace: Tamar, a woman who acted as a prostitute; Rahab, a prostitute by trade; Ruth, a cursed Moabitess; the wife of Uriah, Bathsheba, who committed adultery with David; and finally, a young, virgin maid, Mary (Matthew 1:1-6,16).

Mary lived in the unimportant, dirty town of Nazareth. She was betrothed to Joseph, a humble man––a carpenter by trade. The genealogy of Jesus Christ is also written in Luke 3:23-38. Both families were directly linked to the lineage of King David.

In the book of Philippians, we see the beauty of divinity taking on the form of humanity:

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7).

Christ, in humility, came in the likeness of men. Let that truth sink in. May God’s human thread of divinity, as seen in His genealogy, impact your life this Christmas.

Jesus was God and man in one person, that God and man might be happy together again.
~George Whitefield~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!